Tatyana by Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker

from 31/01/2013 to 09/02/2013

Event: Tatyana by Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker

Location: Barbican Theatre, EC2

One of Brazil’s leading contemporary dance companies, Companhia de Dança, is bringing the show Tatyana to the Barbican at the end of January. The production by Brazilian choreographer Deborah Colker is about the four main characters from Aleksandr Puskin’s classic novel-in-verse Eugene Onegin, with a fifth character, Pushkin himself, included in the production.

Colker’s new piece is filled with duels, mismatches, passion and frustration, set to a soundtrack that features the great Russian composers Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Prokofiev mixed with contemporary music. On set in Act One is a large wooden tree-like sculpture designed by Gringo Cardia with flattened branches, which the dancers climb, dance upon and around.

It is a very different version from John Cranko’s 1965 version of Onegin, with several dancers playing the four main characters simultaneously, as well as dancing the role of Pushkin herself, with another dancer.

Colker, who is famous for her energy and dynamism, is a star in her native Brazil – her shows play to sell out crowds in large venues. She is also credited with being the first woman to create a show for Cirque de Soleil (whose show Kooza is now on at the Royal Albert Hall – until 10 Feb).